Reducing Supply Chain CO2 Emissions is Good Business

Increasingly, progressive companies are recognizing the importance of collaboration as a key catalyst of supply chain success. Social and environmental responsibility programs offered by companies resonate with their customers and the communities in which they operate, as well as their employees.

Climate change is among the chief environmental concerns in North America and globally. As a result, reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is a step that companies in the supply chain can take to operate in a respectful capacity.

CO2 reduction targets are critical in curbing greenhouse gas emissions. This can take place through initiatives such as switching to solar or wind power for facility energy, making facility energy conservation improvements, and by reducing emissions related to transportation. For example, Apple recently made headlines with the announcement it is building two new solar farms in China to power its operations (it now generates 87 percent of its energy requirements), and has purchased 36,000 acres of forest in the United States to be protected in cooperation with The Conservation Fund.

At IFCO, the reduction of CO2 emissions is also a priority, and reduced its fleet fuel efficiency by 17 percent by replacing most tandem-axle tractors with single-axis models, limiting speed to 65mph and reducing idle time to 5 minutes.

Taking a step forward in your own carbon reduction efforts is once again as simple as making the switch from cardboard boxes to IFCO RPCs, which consume 49 percent less energy. These programs forge stronger ties with customers and help validate companies as employers of choice for a new generation of highly coveted job seekers. Simply put, such initiatives are good business.

To learn more about how you can create a more respectful supply chain for your business, click here.